Dear readers, a heads-up that this will be my penultimate climate thread for a while (final one on Saturday), as I am taking a holiday and will be away from Tuesday 19th to Thursday 28th Sept inclusive. I’ll be back with an economic thread on Friday 29th Sept. Thank you all for bearing with me, especially my donors and subscribers – you are appreciated!
A small group of volunteers will very kindly be filling in for me when I’m away, so you can continue to follow climate and economic news here in our usual fashion.
“August 2023 Temperature Update:
“By far the warmest August since direct measurements began. Warmest for both land & ocean. Strengthening El Niño. Nearly certain 2023 becomes the warmest year directly measured. May see a +1.5 °C annual excess in 2023.”
https://twitter.com/BerkeleyEarth/status/1701946202952978453
“Probability of ΔT +1.5°C in 2023 now greater than not ? >50%). I can’t say I’m very surprised.
“Can we please just say that staying below 1.5°C is an illusion and start working on solutions that take into account all aspects of our influence on the Earth system?”
https://twitter.com/LeonSimons8/status/1702002691784818852
“The world has experienced its hottest ever three-month period – what comes next?
“Wildfires, disease, mass migration and food scarcity are among the challenges facing mankind… the lives of millions – if not billions – of people will be drastically transformed in the years and decades to come.”
“Our f&%kery knows no upper limits.
“That’s right, global surface temperatures just set a new record anomaly yesterday, a full 0.84°C above the 1991-2020 mean, beating the previous high of 0.82°C set earlier this year and the previous record anomaly of 0.83°C set in 2016.”
https://twitter.com/EliotJacobson/status/1701572094163833250
“Earth’s life support systems have been so damaged that the planet is “well outside the safe operating space for humanity”, scientists have warned.
“Their assessment found that six out of nine “planetary boundaries” had been broken because of human-caused pollution and destruction of the natural world.”
“Unprecedented double glacial dam release brings flooding to the Kenai [Alaska]…
“Two glaciers — the Snow and Skilak — are releasing large amounts of water at once, which is flowing downstream into the Kenai. The phenomenon is a glacial dam release, which can happen after part of a glacier melts, leaving behind a seasonal lake where ice used to be.”
“B.C.’s wildfire crisis was forecast, but it arrived decades sooner than expected…
“The province has experienced its four most severe wildfire seasons on record during the past seven years, in 2017, 2018, 2021 and 2023. This season has smashed records for area burned in B.C. and Canada, with wildfires scorching more than 165,000 square kilometres across the country.”
“Okanagan records driest-ever soil moisture as drought worsens…
“The federal agency declared “exceptional drought” conditions — the highest on the federal scale — in Kelowna and Vernon. “Exceptional drought” conditions are typically seen just once every 50 years, but were last observed in the Okanagan in fall 2021.”
https://biv.com/article/2023/09/okanagan-records-driest-ever-soil-moisture-drought-worsens
“Flooding in Leominster: Dams being shored up, Healey declares Mass. state of emergency.
“Two dams needed to be shored up in Leominster on Tuesday, one of several Massachusetts communities still reeling from flash flooding that dropped historic amounts of rain Monday night. Gov. Maura Healey issued a state of emergency across the commonwealth Tuesday night.”
“Massive Hurricane Lee prompts tropical storm and hurricane watches for coastal New England as threat grows.
“Hurricane and tropical storm watches are now in effect for much of coastal New England as Hurricane Lee threatens to deliver a blow to parts of the region as well as Atlantic Canada later this week and into the weekend.”
https://edition.cnn.com/2023/09/13/weather/hurricane-lee-path-wednesday-climate/index.html
“A monsoon swept through parts of Arizona on Tuesday night, drenching Phoenix and unleashing winds that downed power lines and flipped airplanes on their side.
“The intense rainfall came three days after Phoenix hit a new heat record, with the temperature reaching 110F on Saturday – reaching that mark for 54 days this year.”
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12515591/arizona-monsoon-rain-extreme-weather.html
“Louisiana’s bayous are now threatened by wildfires.
“In an average year, wildfires burn roughly 8,000 acres in Louisiana; fires in August alone have set alight more than 60,000. The worst of them, the Tiger Island Fire, currently burning near the southwest border with Texas, has taken out 30,000 acres so far…”
“Never ending record heat in the Caribbean:
“Last records to add to the list: CUBA – 36.6C [97.9F] Cienfuegos Monthly record; SANTA LUCIA; 33.8C Vigie Airport all time high tied… Mexico and Nicaragua are still close to records today too. It has been a never ending record heat since May.”
https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1702051161644089547
“Panama Canal to further reduce daily transits if drought continues.
“The Panama Canal could further reduce the maximum number of authorized daily vessel transits if this year’s drought continues, the waterway’s administrator said on Tuesday. A backlog of ships is waiting to pass through the trans-oceanic canal, which handles an estimated 5% of world trade.”
“Disasters getting worse, say Brazil cyclone victims.
“Muçum (Brazil) (AFP) – In his 74 years, Humberto Simonaio had never experienced anything like it: the cyclone that hit southern Brazil swelled the Taquari river so badly it inundated even high ground he had never seen flood before.”
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20230913-disasters-getting-worse-say-brazil-cyclone-victims
“At least 2 dead in two car chain reaction accidents due to dust storm [Argentina].
“Two chain reaction accidents due to a dust storm and winds of up to 75 km/h in central Argentina left at least two people dead and dozens injured. The incidents happened Monday due to poor visibility caused by the weather…”
“Southern Hemisphere “twin” Heat waves
“Yesterday fierce heat with: 44.0C [111.2F] at Rivadavia, Argentina and 43.4C at Villamontes, Bolivia… 41.8C at San Jose de Chiquitos new September record… Today 42C in Mozambique and 32.9C at Agalega Island, Mauritius – new national September record.”
https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1701670061193191564
“Another record yesterday in Southern Africa:
“The airport of the French territory of Mayotte rose to 32.3C [90.1F] which beat its September record of 32.1C previously set in 2019 & 1952 [currently plagued by water shortages and resulting civil unrest]. IOD (Indian Ocean Dipole) is set to increase: Let’ s expect many more heat records from those islands.”
https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1702027625261113750
“Climate threat to Africa’s wild dogs a warning of urgent need to cool things down for wildlife.
“African wild dogs can’t take the heat. That’s according to a new study, released by ZSL – the organisation I lead. Our scientists have modelled how the species will go extinct as climate change causes Earth’s temperature to rise. The extinction tipping point for African wild dogs is a rise of 3 degrees Celsius…”
“Ethiopia’s Controversial Megadam Threatens A Water War With Egypt.
“Ethiopia has completed the final phase of filling a reservoir for its highly controversial hydroelectric dam on the Blue Nile River, much to the annoyance of Egypt who fear it could sever them from the Nile’s precious waters. Fueled by climate change and ongoing geopolitical tension, it’s often been said that the problem of water scarcity in this fraught patch of Africa has the potential to spill out into a major conflict.”
“‘Sea is constantly dumping bodies’: fears Libya flood death toll may hit 20,000…
“Corpses still litter the street, and drinkable water is in short supply. The storm has killed whole families and, with the remoteness of some villages and the rudimentary nature of municipal government, it will take time for the death toll to be confirmed.”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/13/libya-flood-death-toll
“Italy loses world’s biggest wine producer title as extreme weather and disease hit output…
“”The harvest we are facing is very complex, characterized above all by the effects of climate change which at the end of spring and beginning of summer caused pathogenic diseases such as downy mildew, floods, hailstorms, and drought,” said Riccardo Cotarella, head of Assoenologi, in a statement.”
“Intense Hailstorm, Flooding Catch Murcia [Spain] Residents By Surprise.
“A sudden, intense and brief hail storm battered large parts of the Region of Murcia, southeastern Spain on Tuesday evening, September 12. The meteorological phenomenon lasted for only about 10 minutes, but flooding was reported in various municipalities.”
“Winemaker from Worms [Germany]: “Storm was hell”.
“After the thunderstorms with heavy hail, winegrowers in the region around Worms have high crop failures. The damage in the vineyards is high… The vineyards have been destroyed, and some of the harvest is actually no longer available, says Schneickert. “The worst that can happen has happened.””
“Heavy downpours around Maastricht [Netherlands]: many reports of flooding, highways closed.
“The region was hit for some time on Tuesday evening by severe thunderstorms that led to a lot of nuisance. For example, streets and basements in Valkenburg and Maastricht, among others, got stuck in the rapidly rising water and toilets overflowed due to the pressure on the sewers.”
“‘Particularly hot’ August seen in Cyprus says Met office.
“The heat in Cyprus this summer was underlined by the Met Office on Wednesday which said the particularly hot month saw record high temperatures and record high minimum temperatures in the mountains.”
https://cyprus-mail.com/2023/09/13/this-cyprus-august-was-particularly-hot-says-met-office/
“Heat, drought, fires threaten Lebanon’s northern forests.
“Kobayat (Lebanon) (AFP) – Heatwaves, low rainfall and the threat of wildfires are compounding the woes of people in the forested north of Lebanon, a country where economic pain has long taken prominence over environmental concerns.”
“Srinagar [Jammu & Kashmir, India] experienced its hottest September day in over half a century, with temperatures reaching 34.2 degrees Celsius [93.6F] on September 12.
“The previous record, dating back to September 1, 1970, stood at 33.8 degrees Celsius. The all-time highest September temperature in Srinagar was registered on September 28, 1934, at 35 degrees Celsius.”
“19 killed due to torrential rains in Uttar Pradesh.
“Schools were shut in several districts of Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday as rain battered various parts of the state. On Monday evening, 19 people were reported dead in the state in rain-related incidents. Torrential rain and heavy lightning have hit districts of the state since Sunday. At least four people died due to lightning.”
https://maktoobmedia.com/india/19-killed-due-to-torrential-rains-in-uttar-pradesh/
“Hong Kong shuts schools as it issues heavy rain warning.
“Hong Kong closed schools on Thursday after authorities issued the second-highest rain signal and warned of extensive flooding, just days after the Asian financial hub was drenched by the heaviest rain since records began 140 years ago.”
“More than 70 crocodiles have escaped from a farm in southern China after rainstorms hit the region.
“Residents in Maoming, a city near the coast in western Guangdong province, have been told to stay inside until the animals are caught. An emergency official said that 69 adult crocodiles and six juveniles had escaped.”
https://uk.movies.yahoo.com/china-dozens-crocodiles-escape-farm-141500919.html
“Feeling the heat: 44% of Japan firms see earnings hit from extreme weather.
“Some 44% of Japanese companies see extreme weather events around the globe hitting earnings, a Reuters survey showed, highlighting the impact of scorching heat waves and torrential rains on firms in the world’s third-largest economy.”
“Abnormal warmth in Hokkaido with hot nights and min. temperatures above 24C [75.2F], which would be rare in mid summer. Many records of monthly highest Tmin fell yesterday (see list by JMA).
“After the hottest July, hottest August, hottest summer, Japan is heading towards the hottest September.”
https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1701883428562444379
“Forest fires blanket several Indonesian provinces, causing surge in people falling ill.
“Several provinces in Sumatra and Kalimantan have been blanketed with haze from raging forest fires that worsened in August, causing a surge in people with respiratory ailments such as sore throat and shortness of breath.”
“Tornadoes Of Fire Appear On Mount Bromo, Fire Due To Widespread Pre-Wedding Flares.
“The fire expanded and even created a tornado of fire around the fire. From amateur video footage of volunteers, there was a fire tornado at the location of the fire. This situation made the fire on Mount Bromo even more widespread and made volunteers afraid.”
“Near-record September temperatures could be on the horizon for parts of the country’s south east as an unusually long run of hot spring weather sets in over southern Australia.
“The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting temperatures across southern Australia to reach between eight and 12 degrees Celsius above average by the weekend.”
“NZ’s vital kelp forests are in peril from ocean warming—threatening the important species that rely on them.
“Years of almost non-stop marine heat waves are stressing New Zealand’s kelp forests. But as we show in our new research, ongoing ocean warming is only one of several threats to these unique and important coastal seaweed ecosystems.”
https://phys.org/news/2023-09-nz-vital-kelp-forests-peril.html
“Brunt glacier rapidly accelerates into the Weddell Sea after pinning point lost to iceberg A81.
“Once considered stable, The Brunt Ice Shelf is accelerating rapidly into the Weddell Sea, according to the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), which monitors Brunt at its Halley Research station. Halley Station recorded the retreat after two massive icebergs calved.”
“Antarctica may have entered ‘new regime’ of low sea ice as global warming ramps up…
“The study, conducted by Australian scientists, describes a “breakdown” in the link between sea ice and the atmosphere over Antarctica. It suggests that the area may have “entered a new regime in which previously important relationships no longer dominate sea ice variability”.”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/13/antartica-global-warming-sea-ice-caps-regime-shift
“Climate Change Hurting Water Quality in Rivers Worldwide, Study Finds…
“For the study, scientists looked at 965 case studies, tracking how extreme weather impacted rivers on every habitable continent. They found that water quality dropped during 51 percent of rainstorms and floods, as fertilizer runoff poured into rivers and streams.”
https://e360.yale.edu/digest/climate-change-water-quality-rivers
“How rising water vapour in the atmosphere is amplifying warming and making extreme weather worse.
“This year’s string of record-breaking disasters – from deadly wildfires and catastrophic floods to record-high ocean temperatures and record-low sea ice in Antarctica – seems like an acceleration of human-induced climate change. And it is. But not only because greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise…”
“El Niño and a hotter, wetter climate aid spread of disease…
““As our climate continues to change, adverse weather events are becoming more common and more intense, thereby creating conditions that are favourable for the spread of disease,” explains Richard Gleave, director of scientific strategy and development at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).”
https://www.ft.com/content/50413e7e-4757-4380-b925-1d64e28fffd4
You can read the previous “Climate” thread here. I’ll be back tomorrow with an “Economic” thread.
If you found value in this content, please help me continue this work by becoming a patron of my work via Patreon. And if you are already a subscriber or have donated – thank you! It is an enormous help as the cost-of-living crisis ratchets up here in the UK.
Have a good break Pan and thank you Anne!
Have a safe vacation harry. You’re the best
Your work is massively appreciated.
Thank you, all. ☺
Details about the “Medicane” that trashed Greece and Libya and a review of the attribution science as it pertains to African disasters:
https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2023/09/the-libya-floods-a-climate-and-infrastructure-catastrophe/
https://twitter.com/YWNReporter/status/1702305628603941055?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1702305628603941055%7Ctwgr%5E2d246a3362272df802d49bfe9826b0930770d082%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fdisqus.com%2Fembed%2Fcomments%2F%3Fbase%3Ddefaultf%3Dclimateconnectionst_i%3D10868020https3A2F2Fyaleclimateconnections.org2F3Fp3D108680t_u%3Dhttps3A2F2Fyaleclimateconnections.org2F20232F092Fhurricane-lee-turns-north-takes-aim-at-new-england-and-atlantic-canada2Ft_e%3DHurricane20Lee20turns20north2C20takes20aim20at20New20England20and20Atlantic20Canadat_d%3D0A090909Hurricane20Lee20turns20north2C20takes20aim20at20New20England20and20Atlantic20Canada0909t_t%3DHurricane20Lee20turns20north2C20takes20aim20at20New20England20and20Atlantic20Canadas_o%3Ddefaultversion%3Df7438e7a0e269d004edf2ff00fe9f3fc
Indi knocks it out of the park again:
“As they say, the opposite of love isn’t hate, it’s indifference. The climate — unlike climate communism — is indifferent to our suffering. And that will make its judgement, which is upon us, so much worse than the worst supervillain we could imagine. But hell, it’ll be worse for future people, who are as fundamentally distant as the past.”
https://indi.ca/only-a-supervillain-could-stop-climate-change/
Pan,
Lay back & hang around.
It won’t be long before the Clever Ape species has a permanent break.
The bigger-think pieces are always much more rewarding to read than the prosaic everyday horror tales, and the Telegraph piece doesn’t disappoint. Now even mainstream think-pieces are lacking the heretofore obligatory hopium windup?
Boy, does that bring out the loonies in the Telegraph’s comments sections. These nutter s aren’t having this “Farmer Bill Gates”- sponsored climate agit-prop rammed downed their throats, no way! To these masses of intellectual wonders in the fair isle, it’s all a communist plot, this bloody Climatastrophe warning, and they are going to pound out their imbecilic displeasure no matter what facts get slammed into their screen-glued eyeballs.